Patterning device for circular knitting machines



July 1, 1969 P. JOSEPH 3,452,560

PATTERNING DEVICE FOR cmcuum KNITTING MACHINES Filed March a, 1967 Sheetor s INVENTOR. P/EQRE JOSEPH BY v ( A'TTOENE ys July 1, 1969 JOSEPH3,452,560

PATTERNING DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNI' ITING MACHINES Filed March a, 1967Sheet 2 of 5 '67 on on uunuu un Fig.4-

INVENTOR. P/ERRE JOSEPH July 1, 1969 P. JOSEPH 3,452,560

PATTERNING DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March a, 19s?Sheet 3 of 5' INVENTOR. PIERRE- JOSEPH P. JOSEPH July 1; 1969 PATTERNINGDEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Sheet Filed March 8. 1967 Fig.7

INVENTOR.

P/ERQE dose PH BY A TT'O July 1, 1969 P. JOSEPH v 3,452,560

PATTERNING DEV-ICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March a. 1967Sheet 5 of 5 M44MMMM INVENTOR. D/ERRE JOSEPH BY m 'qTi v E vs UnitedStates Patent US. Cl. 66-50 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apatterning device for a circular knitting machine for knitting patternsof limited or unlimited widths, having a series of patterning wheelsalong the circumference of the needle cylinder and at least twopatterning bands for respective groups of patterning wheels. The twopatterning bands are of different types, one for knitting patterns oflimited width and the other for knitting patterns of unlimited width,and are used separately for cooperation with the same patterning wheelsin accord with the particular knitting to be done. Simultaneous use of aplurality of like type of patterning bands for operation on groups ofpatterning wheels at difierent feeds of the machine is disclosed.

Background of the invention The invention relates to a patterning devicefor circular knitting machines having a rotating needle cylinder, thepatterning device being composed of a plurality of stationary partialpatterning devices that are arranged individually or in groups at eachwork station.

The partial patterning device may be, among others, a patterning wheel,patterning cylinder, or an endless patterning band driven by wheels, allof which serve to select the knitting needles in accordance with thepattern.

In knitting machines of the prior art, having a plurality of partialpatterning devices, selection of knitting needles is limited resultingin patterns of correspondingly limited size. Larger patterns can beknitted only when each partial patterning device has its own patterningband. This solution is expensive, takes up room, and hinders propercontrol of the machine and of the knitted goods. Moreover, theseknitting machines have the further disadvantage that it requires a longtime to change them over.

The patterning device described in Swiss patent specification No.237,611, US. Patent No. 2,611,253, also has a limited needle selectionwith respect to the pattern width. In this device a single patterningband influences the partial patterning devices that are in the form ofpatterning wheels. The selection is limited because only the wheelcircumference is available for patterning.

For a long time limited knitting needle selection was not consideredparticularly disadvantageous because consumers preponderantly demandedrelatively small patterns.

The fashion tendencies of recent years show a strong demand for largepatterns, and the development of very fine synthetic yarns requiresknitting machines having a very close needle spacing.

Summary of the invention An object of the invention is a patterningdevice for circular knitting machines, said device having a plurality ofstationary partial patterning devices located individually or in groupsat respective feeds, and a plurality of endless patterning bands ofdifferent types one for knitting patterns of limited width and the otherfor knitting patterns of unlimited width, one type at a time beingutilized to cooperate each with a plurality of respective partialpatterning devices, respectively for knitting patterns of limited widthsor of unlimited" widths (that is, of any desired width) Briefdescription of the drawings In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of a patterning device for knitting patterns ofunlimited width;

FIGURE 2 shows a portion of a patterning band for use with the device ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of a patterning device for knitting patterns oflimited width;

FIGURE 4 shows a portion of a patterning band for use with the device ofFIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the patterning wheel and sinkers;

FIGURE 6 shows diiferent embodiments of the sinkers;

FIGURE 7 is a view in the direction of arrow A in FIGURE 8, of thegroove developed.

FIGURE 8 is a top view of the inclined surfaces and associated parts.

Description of the preferred embodiments In the drawings, only thoseparts of the circular knitting machine are illustrated that areessential to the understanding of the invention.

A series of patterning wheels 1-24, rigidly mounted on a plate 25, isarranged in the usual manner about the periphery of the circularknitting machine, as illustrated in FIGURE 1. Each wheel 1-24 will beconsidered a partial patterning device.

An endless patterning band 26 (FIG. 1), for producing patterns ofunlimited width, and which surrounds, for example, six successivepatterning wheels, is spirally rolled up, in a known manner, andunrolled in an adjoining container 27. Altogether, four bands 26 areused, one at each feed.

The revolving needle cylinder 28 gear 29 that engages a gear 30 rigidwith the patterning wheel axle 31, to turn the patterning wheel 32proper.

Patterning sinkers 33 are located in radial grooves of the wheel 32 andhave each a head 34 (FIG. 5). The heads together with a stationary camplate 35 enables the sinkers, when they are outwardly tipped, to bringthe cylinder needles 37 out of action in accordance with the pattern, asdisclosed in Swiss patent specification No. 264,568. The needles areconnected in the manner of a hinge to the jacks 36.

Each patterning band 26 has punched holes 29 (FIG. 2) for engagement bythe noses 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 (FIGS. 5 and 6) of the patterningsinkers 33. The patterning band also has an uninterrupted series ofperforations 44 that is independent of the pattern and engageable by thenoses 45, the purpose of which will be described later.

Pins 46 (FIG. 5) in a ring 47 of the patterning wheel 32 drive thepatterning band 26, which has holes 48 ('FIG. 2) that are engaged by thepins, and which is associated with a determined number of patterningwheels.

The control members 49 rotate concentrically with the patterning wheel32 (FIG. 5) and are rigidly connected to guide parts 490. The members 49are controlled in their movement by pins 50 riding in the grooves 68a,68b of the stationary guide members 68 and serve to cooperate with thefoot 33a incorporated with every sinker 33.

Movement from one groove to another is controlled by a pivotal element51 (FIGS. 7 and 8), which is operated by inclined surface 52, 53 ormanually by shifting the (FIG. 5) has a ring toothed rack 61. Theinclined surfaces are rigidly mounted in contact with the gear 29, whichturns with the needle cylinder 28.

Movement from one groove to another is controlled 54 mounted on ahorizontally movable arm 55, then via a lever 60 engaged in a slot ofsaid arm and mounted to pivot about a pin 63 on the bent end 62 of atoothed rack 61 to which the lever is rigidly connected, and finally bya toothed segment 56 which is positively connected to the element 51pivotally mounted in the housing 57. A tension spring 65 preventsundesired pivoting or opening of the level 60. The pin 64 locks theelement 51 in the one or the other position when disengaged fromautomatic operation.

The housing 57 (FIG. 5), which surrounds the patterning wheel 32, thebottom plate 58, and the cover plate 59 are screwed onto the plate 25 ofthe knitting machine.

The inclined surface 52, which was described as being rigid with thering gear 29, can also be designed to be automatically movable, asdescribed in the Swiss patent 321,833, no corresponding US. patent,although this feature has no connection with the invention. This featurerelates only to a temporary retention of the selec tion of thepatterning wheels for longer than a complete revolution of the needlecylinder.

The arrangement of patterning wheels and bands illustrated in FIGURE 3differs from that of FIGURE 1 in that, for the purpose of producingpatterns having a limited width, two endless patterning bands 66 areused, each wrapped around respectively twelve successive patterningwheels and which are rolled up into and unrolled from a respectivecontainer 27.

The patterning band 66 (FIG. 4) employed for this purpose is narrowerthan that of FIGURE 2 and incorporates perforations 67 that determinethe pattern to be knitted. The perforations are arranged in groups in asingle row and engage the noses 45 (FIG. 6) of the patterning sinkers.The holes 48 are engaged by the pins 46 (FIG. 5) in the ring 47 of thepatterning wheel 32, whereby the band is moved.

The arrangement for knitting patterns of unlimited width operates asfollows.

The needle cylinder 28, patterning band 26, and the patterning wheels124 move continuously in the direction of the arrows (FIG. 1).

Since the manner of operation of each patterning band 26 with respect tothe wheels 1-24 is the same, the same, the operation of a single bandwill be described.

During each rotation of the patterning wheel proper 32 (FIG. 5), thepatterning sinkers 33 are positioned with the aid of the patterning band26, which has perforations that are made in accordance with the pattern.For this purpose all of the sinkers 33 are first of all, before theyreach the selector station of the band 26, moved outwards and lowered totheir starting position by element 51 (FIG. 7) via pins 50 of thecontrol members 49, as explained in Swiss Patent No. 264,568.

The necessary position of the element 51 to ensure that the sinkers 33are brought to their starting position is obtained by manually pushingthe toothed rack 61 inwardly (that is, toward the middle of the knittingmachine), with the help of the open lever 60. After looking, the rack 61is securely held behind the pin 64 (FIG. 8). The element 51 is therebylocated in the slanting position shown in full line in FIGURE 7.

If the patterning band 26 has a perforation in the position 29 (FIG. 2),the nose 39 of the patterning sinker 33 can engage it and it remains inthe position shown in full line on the left side of FIGURE 5.

However, if the nose cannot enter a hole 29, the sinker is forced backinto its selector position (broken line, FIGURE 5, left half), wherebythe foot 33a is brought under control of the members 49 whichsubsequently, in a known manner, raise the sinkers under this control 4until the sinker heads 34, pushed radially by the cam plate 35, canselect the jacks 36 hinged to the cylinder needles 37, as shown in fullline at FIGURE 5, right side.

Since the element 51 (FIG. 7) normally does not change its position, thesinkers 33, and thus the needles for knitting patterns that are notrepeated over the width knitted, continue to be selected. The patternwidth is limited virtually only by the number of needles in thecylinder.

The manner of operation of the arrangement for producing patterns oflimited widths is as follows.

Only two patterning bands 66 are used, one for the wheels 1-12 and theother for the wheels 13-24.

The patterning bands move continuously in the direction of the arrows inFIGURE 3.

Since both bands 66 function in the same way, only the operation of oneband will be described.

During the first revolution of the patterning wheel 32, the patterningsinkers 33 are positioned with the aid of the patterning band 66 (FIG.4) punched in accordance with the pattern to be knitted, as described inSwiss Patent 264,568. After the sinkers have been positioned during thefirst revolution of the wheel 32, the pattern to be knitted is fixed andno further sinkers are returned to the starting position for a newselection.

This suspension of the sinker selection occurs because the inclinedsurface 53, which rotates with the cylinder 28 (FIG. 8), shifts theroller 54 rigid with the arm 55, such that the element 51, by means ofthe lever 60 and toothed rack 61, is returned to its horizontal positionshown in dashed line in FIGURE 7.

As a result, the control members 49 and thus the sinkers 33 controlledby these members remain in the raised position.

The release of the sinker selection suspension occuring during eachrevolution of the knitting machine and during a single revolution of thepatterning wheel proper 32 is accomplished with the assistance of theinclined surfaces 52 and 53 (FIG. 8), which act upon the element 51 whenit is set by the lever 60 for automatic operation.

Since each patterning wheel covers only a part of the series of patterngoverning perforations in the respective patterning band, becauseinclined surface 52 starts the takeover of a new selection, and inclinedsurface 53 stops it, the new selection of sinkers is maintained for atleast approximately one revolution of the knitting machine namely, untilthe inclined surface 52 starts the takeover of a further selection, andsince, in the illustrated example, the sections of a line of twoneighboring perforation groups do not overlap, in contradistinction tothe description in US. 3,260,073 a single row of perforations suffices.The perforations are located moderately high in the patterning band 66,so that they can cooperate with the noses 45 of every kind of sinker 33.

It has been assumed in the embodiment that there are twelve groups ofperforations, located one behind the other, on each band 66, and thatthe length of each group is equal to the circumference of a patterningwheel.

Obviously, other group divisions are possible.

In this way two narrow patterning bands sufiice for the knitting ofpatterns of limited width, which patterns are repeated about thecircumference of the needle cylinder.

The containers 27 illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3 can be replaced by anyother arrangement suitable for a circular knitting machine, whichassures an eflicient use of the space and easy access to the parts ofthe machine. The partial patterning devices, as well as the number ofrows of perforations in the patterning bands 26 and 66 are exemplary andnot limitative.

When knitting patterns of unlimited widths, the number of rows ofperforations in each patterning band depends on the number of partialpatterning devices per band and, when knitting pattern of limited widthson the accommoda- '5 tion of perforation groups of the partialpatterning devices per patterning band.

The invention is not to be construed as limited to the particular formsdisclosed herein, since these are to be regarded as illustrative ratherthan restrictive.

I claim:

1. A patterning device for circular knitting machines having a needlebearing needle cylinder that can be driven in rotation, including aplurality of fixedly located partial patterning devices in selectednumber at respective feeds, each said patterning device including arotatable pattern wheel and patterning sinkers, said singers having setsof noses at different levels, said pattern Wheels and sinkers beingcooperable selectively with at least two distinct types of perforatedpatterning bands, one type for knitting patterns of limited width, withone set of noses at at least one level, and the other type for knittingpatterns of unlimited width, with other sets of noses at other levels,each of which patterning bands cooperates with respective sets of nosesof a plurality of sinkers of partial patterning devices at respectivefeeds whereby when the first type of such bands is utilized, patterns oflimited width are knitted and when the other type of said bands isutilized patterns of unlimited width are knitted.

2. A patterning device according to claim 1, wherein for knittingpatterns of unlimited width, said other type patterning sinkers havetheir other sets of noses at selected elevations and said patterningband has rows of longitudinally arranged perforations, the rowscorresponding in number to the number of noses at different elevationsof the sinkers of partial patterning devices at a respective feed withwhich said last-named patterning band cooperates.

3. A patterning device according to claim 2, including a plurality ofsaid other type patterning bands, each cooperating with the respectivenoses of partial patterning devices at a different respective feed ofsaid device.

4. A patterning device according to claim 1 for kniting patterns oflimited width wherein each of the sinkers of the partial patterningdevices at feeds has noses of the first-named set at a common level andsaid first type of perforated band has groups of perforations in a rowfor cooperation with said noses at a common level.

5. A patterning device according to claim 4 for knitting patterns oflimited width including at least two of said first type of perforatedbands each of which cooperates with said noses at a common level ofpatterning sinkers at a plurality of feeds of said device.

6. A patterning device as per claim 1, including means for setting thepatterning sinkers in a positon of suspended selection after they havescanned the pattern of perforations in the type of perforated band beingemployed, and the suspended sinkers select needles in a pattern repeatin accord with the pattern of perforations in the patterning band beingemployed.

7. A patterning device according to claim 6, including a manuallyoperable element for suspending selection of said sinkers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,689,592 10/ 1928 Lombardi 66-50XR 2,611,253 9/1952 Diem. 3,225,567 12/1965 Seiler 6650 3,229,482 1/1966Farmer 6650 3,260,073 7/1966 Seiler 66--50 FOREIGN PATENTS 244,88712/1925 Great Britain.

WM. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,452,560 July 1, 1969 Pierre Joseph It is certified that error appearsin the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as show below:

Column 2, line 72, "surface" should read surfaces Column 3, line 4,"from one groove to another is controlled" should read is transmitted tothe element 51 by a roller line 47, cancel "the", third occurrence; line48, cancel "same,"; line 75, "this" should read their Column 5, line 12,"singers" should read sinkers Signed and sealed this 31st day of March1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

